Children and young people's 10 year cancer plan
Every year in the UK over 4,000 children and young people under 25 are diagnosed with cancer.
Why do we need this plan?
Childhood cancer is:
Not rare – it is the biggest cause of death in under 15s
Biologically different and faster growing
Not commonly associated with lifestyle or environmental factors
Often not diagnosed through primary care – over 53% of childhood cancers are picked up at A&E
Under researched – only 18 new drugs approved in 21 years
Almost certain to lead to significant long-term treatment effects
The common characterisation of childhood and young people’s cancer as ‘rare’ is misleading, causing this age group to be overlooked.
